Karen Tainton

My art journey began in 2017 and only came about because of an accident I had in 2012 which left me a paraplegic. I struggle to get motivated and find new interests but knew I needed to do something to keep busy and my mind active.

I really enjoyed woodwork at school, so I started carving birds and thought, ‘What else?’ I tried colouring books, paint by numbers, acrylic and watercolour, graphite and coloured pencils.

I predominantly work in pastels now with wildlife and birds being my favourite subjects. I have always had a love for animals and we are lucky enough to live alongside a state park where we see many native animals and birds. I also find pictures that l like and follow artists on YouTube to learn different techniques.

Finding Art has given me so much joy and helped me regain my confidence. There’s always something new to learn and I hope to keep improving my skills to create more realistic pictures.